Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-31

| rebuIG1n2 IN less Cnan q majority In atten(
ance, at the time fixed by law for the NEE,
ing and execution of the trust so confide
to the board. If q majority of the men
bers of the board cannot act for the entir
seven members. or il there can be no OF
ganization of the board without the Attol
ney General,
THEN THERE CAN BE NO ASSESSMENT,
levy or collection of taxes in this Territor
after the first of December next without q
amendment curing these omissions in tn
law. At any rate, the questions are {
such grave import, and connected as the
| are with such vital interests of the people
| and fraught with such danger to the publ
peace, that commend the subject to you
| favorable consideration, and ask that yo
will make such amendments as will free tn
law of all doubt and confusion. 1 als
| call your attention to some other parts o
| seen imposes upon a. public office
the County Clerk-the duty OF becomin
| the insurer and guarantor to every vende;
in the conveyance of land offered for recors
in his Office that all previous taxes hav
been paid thereon; not only so, but he j
also made to become the counsellor AM
| adviser, and to decide for such vendee tha
the land is clear OF all incum brances on ac
count of taxes prior to that time, befor,
he is allowed to put such conveyance tt
record, and if he fails in these official du
ties, he is to be fined from 500 to 81 900
and must pay all damages resulting iron
his mistake. l suggest that this is
A FEARFULLY HARD ExACTIoN
to impose upon public officer; and re
commend that it be SO amended as te
leave the law as it has always been, wheI
every man may examine for himself the
sufficiency of the title to property he is
about to buy, and make his own selection
of counsel, should he need any. 1t seems
from section 76 that it is the duty of the
County Treasurer, when land is to be sold
on account of unpaid taxes, to sell the en-.
tire tract of land, and all it produces in ex-
cess of the taxes and costs, he is to pay
over to the owners. I recommend such
modification of this section that he shall
sell so much of the land al will be sufficient
to pay the taxes and charges thereon.
UPON RE1NsPEcTIoN
of section 20 Of this act, am satisfied it
will be seen there is a great amount OF labor
imposed upon the clerk, which can be oi
very little practical good to the public. 1t
provides "that he shall make out in the
real property assessment book. complete
lists of all lands or lots subject to TIA xa-
tion, showing the names OF the ow'.ers. ii to
him known. and if unknown, so state oppo-
site to each tract or lot; the number OF
acres, and the lots and parts of lots, or
blocks included in each description OF prop.
erty; and for the purpose OF accuracy and
completeness, he shall compare the said
lists with the maps and plats in his office.
In the case OF desert land claims and min
eral entries located upon surveyed land,
and upon which final proof has been made.
it shall be considered as good and valid
description when listed on the roll by the
numbers given and used describing the same
in the Land Office where said entry was
made; said books and blanks shall he de-
livered to the Assessor by the County Clerk
on or before the 1st day OF January, with
such instructions from the county board as
to insure full and uniform assessments and
returns" submit that, if in your wisdom
it is deemed necessary for the public that
this work and these duties shall be per-
formed by the clerk as enjoined in this Sec
ton, then a iull, and sufficient number OF
DEPUTIES OUGHT TO BE SUPPLIED
by law to the clerk with the measure OF
just and fair compensation, to enable him
to comply with the law in this regard; for
it is most certain that no one man, with a
single deputy to help him, can comply with
the demand of this statute. In Section
62 the time given to the clerk within which
to do and perform certain duties,
therein prescribed, is manifestly insufti-
cient, and yet heavy penalties are attached
to any failure on his part to comply
within the time designated in the act The
public interest will surely be as well sub
served in extending the time, and accuracy
will more certainly be assured. and l rec
ommend accordingly. There are yet other
provisions and parts of this new Revenue
law which might we'll be examined and iul:
proved; but these to which l have invited
your attention are the principal ones now
most demanding your action.
THE NEW LICENSE LAW,
which took effect the LIST of July last. for
bids and disallows any person the privilege
of setting up and carrying on certain de-
scription of gaming within the cities, towns
and villages OF the Territory where the
population is above three hundred, until
license is obtained for such privilege; and
the same inhibition applies to cities, towns
and villages where the population is less
than three hundred, but in this class INT
license fee is less; and all other places anc
parts of the Territory. whether the nam
ber of persons assembled together, or tenn
porarIly residing near each other, be grea'
pr smaIl. are exempt from the provisions
of this law. 1t occurs to me that, II TIT
privilege of gambling in cities, towns ane
Villages should pay tax, the same PRIV
lepe exercised among men engaged IN MINING
or in constructing railroads, or IN TN
midst of the multitude assembled at TN
| fair ground, or upon the race field, or
anv other place should pay the same, or
unconditional license; or If an enterprlslnl
person, engaged in
THAT LINE OF THRIFT,
sball conclude to set up and prosecute
business of that kind just little outsld
Of a. city, town or village, he ought to pa!
as much as his competing gambler on tn
inside. There was an act passed ana ap
nroved on the ninth day OF Marcn las
which makes it felony and likes the pun
ishment of service in the penitentiary 10
carrying on or engaging IN certain ;.S ues'i4a ~
tions of games within the ierritory' W
w;t. "T6ree card monte, "strap game,
"th;mble rig" "patent safe game, 'o'ac
and red game" commonly known as Tn
ten ten dice game) percentage" stud q aaRor hor'
Hokern "per centage draw POKER
RRfxenty-one, R1xer, high ball." ''blue jay.
"chuck a luck" short faro" or any "die
came" While the act passed and approve
f she next day, commonly called the % L,cena dcena
,av forbids that any person shall emgat
;n these games in cities, towns or Viaas.
~ mnt;l t a license is obtained for sucn PRIV o,
e.' iaue ' Whatever OF seeming conn,cS a,,,d .'TI
,gse, Hsv be in those enaetmentsn nl should u,a,r
remedied rnn BY an amendment. Tne aaas am"1l q
- rsvenue being derived from hcenSes ~
THE PRIVILEGE OF GAMBLING
, ia very many thousands OF dollars ,ees s sD.' =
heretofore, and yet it is asserted anu =
Iieved that there is no diminut'on ~ a. a.
r class of gambling heretofore comniun r -,
Terr;tory. lit is the purpose OF me tne nys' cIs
lature to curtail or put stop 70 .,' "t Of It'll Il
Of gambling itemised in the sslo tta- avy g. sor
9th of March, and to disallow o'"v, mon
: or names OF gambling, except pS,Ss %o sor
J.. | license, then to accomplish these sn"'